Coolest Day of Your Life, Right?
by unfoldingbliss
Summary: [A collection of unrelated wonderbeetle drabbles, usually on the fluffy side] Drabble #18: Cassie can't take the heat and Jaime has a solution.
1. Punchdrunk, Lovestruck

_Normal AU where Jaime & Cassie fall in love at a club:_

"I don't know, _hermano_, it's getting kind of late," Jaime scratched the back of his head, watching the crowded dance floor with little interest, "And I do have that biology test in the morning."

"It's at eleven!" Tye exclaimed, "And there is no way you are leaving me with the two lovebirds making out god knows where."

"You _could_ just leave with me," Jaime replied, checking his pockets for all the essentials. Keys, wallet, study guide…yep, everything was there, "Nothing like one good night's sleep out of seven. Paco and Brenda know how to get back to the dorms just fine."

His friend sighed and took one quick look around the room before agreeing, "Alright, fine! I'll come back, but only because the place is pretty dried up and I don't feel like drinking anymore."

Jaime chuckled, "Yeah, yeah, sure thing, Tye."

The pair left the table and made their way towards the door. It might have been the white lights hitting his eyes or the deep bass popping loudly in his ears, but when Jaime pushed into the exit, a feminine squeak and a splash crashed into him, drenching him in alcohol.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" the young woman pushed off his chest, wiping at the mess on her own clothes, "I didn't see you! My eyes caught the lights and I -"

"No, it's fine, it's fine," Jaime reassured her, looking down at his wet shirt. This was one of his favorites too; Milagro had personally picked it out for him a few years back. "I'll just - "

He froze as his eyes met hers, a clear, crystal blue evident even in the hazy, neon-lit club. Blonde hair toppled over firm shoulders and fit biceps, full pink lips drawn into the cutest pout he'd ever seen (and Milagro could pull off some pretty impressive ones). In that moment, it didn't matter that Tye was laughing behind him or he was drenched in booze or Paco and Brenda decided to ditch them for hallway smooches.

Cupid just hit. And with her own widened eyes and darkened cheeks, he was pretty sure both targets made their marks.


	2. Atypical School Morning

_A normal AU where Jaime meets a new, cute transfer student:_

"Soooo, Jaime…" Tye trailed, leaning beside his friend's opened locker, "You think I should ask her out?"

"_Hermano_, she rarely speaks," Jaime said, scrummaging around for his copy of King Lear, "And when she does, it's usually in Japanese. What makes you think she's even into you?"

"Bro, she always laughs at my jokes!" Tye crossed his arms, seemingly tiffed at Jaime's skepticism, "And! She's _always_ hanging around us. We invite her to our lunch table, she watches us skateboard - "

"Yeah, that's because _I_ invite her over _for_ you," the pair of boys swerved around to see Brenda, one hand clutching her hip and the other hanging on top of her boyfriend (and _their_ friend first they would like to add) Paco, "You don't have to spine to do it for yourself."

Tye scoffed, eyes narrowing, "Stay out of this, Brenda! I didn't ask for your advice for a reason."

"Hey, don't talk to her that way," Paco glared at Tye, "She didn't do anything wrong."

"Dude, Paco, _you_ talk to Brenda that way," Jaime piped up, "And this is besides the point. I do _not_ need my friends involved in some early morning fiasco and everyone is all pissed at lunch and we have to yell it out after school, okay? Tye, just ask her out; you're right, it looks like she likes you and you should go for it."

His friends stared at him for a few seconds longer before darting their eyes to the floor.

"Sorry for snapping at you, Brenda," Tye mumbled out, holding his arms out for a hug.

"Yeah, sorry for being a sass master," Brenda giggled and pressed into him for a tight squeeze, "Asami _does_ like you, by the way. She told me."

"Ugh, are you kidding me, Brenda?" Tye pushed away from her and pulled at his sleeve to check the time,"Dammit, only a few minutes left until the bell rings. She's in the science building, right? Alright, see you in class Jaime, _thanks_ Brenda, and sorry I yelled at your girlfriend, Paco, bye!"

The trio watched and snickered as Tye looped in and out of the Rio Grande school population until he climbed down the stairs to courtyard below.

"Well, I have to get to Trig," Brenda said, giving Paco a quick peck on the cheek before walking past them, "See you guys at lunch!"

"Bye," Paco waved, his eyes giving off a dreamy, far-off look. Jaime resisted the urge to tease his lovestruck friend,_ both_ of them if he really thought about it. Kind of hypocritical after the little spill he just gave them though, "See ya, Jaime. I'm off to the shop."

"Yeah, have fun," he tapped him on the shoulder and turned his attention to his locker as Paco left. Now, where exactly was that _King Lear_ again? He knew it was in here - a little to the left -

"I saw that," he jumped at the unfamiliar, approaching voice, his head almost hitting the metal roof on the top of his locker. Jaime pulled out and turned, coming face-to-face with a startlingly attractive girl, "Pretty neat of you to diffuse a situation like that. And with your friends no less! I thought that was really cool."

"Um…" Jaime trailed, taking in the sparkling blue eyes and long blonde hair made up into a high ponytail. "Not that I don't mind the attention, but is there a reason you were…?"

"Oh, duh, yes!" she slapped her forehead and smiled, rummaging into her messenger bag and pulling out_ his_ copy of _King Lea_r, all scratched up and ripped in just the right places, "I saw you drop this outside from a distance. I have no idea where the lost and found is so I decided to just follow you over to your locker and give it to you then. But I didn't want to disturb you and your friends either."

"Okay, thanks," Jaime replied, taking the book from her hands, "Sorry for the trouble. I usually can tell when I drop something."

"No trouble at all," the smile stayed firm on her face and Jaime couldn't help it as his cheeks reddened, "Actually, I was wondering if you could help me. I just transferred here from Washington D.C. - my mom is working with Ted Kord Industries now so of course we had to move, but anyway, I have no idea where any of the classrooms are! Could you help me out?"

"Let me take a look at your schedule," Jaime waved her over and she leaned in close, holding out her folded schedule out to him. The scent of lavender surrounded her, sending a warm chill across his shoulders, "English 400, Class 3D…hey! That's with me!"

"Well, well," she said, her voice a tad more sultry than before, "This is my lucky day. Walk me there?"

Jaime chuckled nervously before nodding, closing his locker, "Sure thing, as long as I get to sit next to you in class."

"Wouldn't want it any other way," she replied and off the two went towards class, a new affair and another source of endless entertainment and teasing for his friends in their wake.


	3. Can't Help It

_Cassie gets hurt and Jaime is a little protective over her:_

"Okay, hold still, Cassie and wrap your arms around my shoulders" Jaime whispered to his weakened comrade. She grunted in reply and did as she was told, latching onto his neck and burying her face into his armored neck. Locating the ship, Jaime grabbed a hold of her legs and carried her across the field as his fellow teammates finished imprisoning Poison Ivy and Bane.

They'd been working together to make a stronger super serum that would not only quadruple the strength of anyone who drank it, but would be completely subservient. Most of the battle went by without much struggle, but Bane had swatted and hit Cassie before she had the chance to sneak up on him from behind. Purple bruises were already rising from her shoulders and neck and Jaime did his best to restrain the growl brewing in his throat. The shot he got on Bane to end the battle was victory enough.

When they finally reached the ship, he walked over to a corner of the ship and sat down, Cassie still in his arms. Her breathing was a little labored but it was nothing he had to panic over. It _was_ Wonder Girl he was holding in his arms, after all. She was ten times stronger and twenty times more resilient than he could ever be.

"Still…" he trailed as he retracted his armor, fingers tracing circles into the small of her back, "Can't help but worry, can I?"


	4. Honest Compliment

_Cassie receives an unexpected, genuine compliment from Jaime:_

Cassie was used to boys calling her 'pretty,' 'gorgeous,' 'beautiful,' and the whatnot. They'd been doing so since she was five and continued to do so as she blossomed from a flat chest and scrawny legs to womanly curves and powerful arms. The teens around Washington D.C. couldn't be more obvious with the way they ogled when she took brisk afternoon runs after school, making lewd remarks under their breaths and shouting for her to 'come on by for a good time!'

Please, couldn't boys be sincere, _ever?_ Fifteen and still without her first boyfriend all because of her mother's firm feminist education and Cassie's high standards. Why wasn't she born in a normal household with a normal mom that never met a Greek God so she could have a normal life with normal thoughts about boys?

Oh, that's right. It would probably suck.

Well, Cassie had had it with boys and their rubbish pick-up lines and fake compliments. Cassie knew she was pretty; no need to state the obvious. Couldn't someone look for more? Tell her how attractive her strength and will could be or how charming her optimism and determination was?

"Hey, Cassie?" a male voice called out her name from the other side of the room and she let out a growl. Oh now what, were boys so oblivious that they couldn't see when a girl was venting out her feelings through a punching bag?

"_What?_" she yelled back, whipping her head around and coming face-to-face with a surprised Jaime, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his face twisted in embarrassment, "Oh. It's just you, Jaime. Sorry, I was…"

"Yeah, I…noticed," Jaime replied, clearing his throat before continuing, "Uh…I just came in here to say…before I leave that you were really…fierce today."

She crooked an eyebrow, "Fierce?"

"Okay, maybe not the right word…" Jaime mumbled, "I mean, I could tell you were really giving it your all today, on the mission. Well, not to say you don't always give it your all, but you just _shined_ and I could feel it and I…just wanted to tell you that."

Her comrade gulped and let out a shaky breath before taking a few steps back, watching with hesitant eyes as Cassie stood frozen near the punching bag, "Well, okay. I'll just…I'll see you tomor - "

"Thank you," Cassie breathed out, a bright smile springing up onto her lips, "That means a lot, Jaime. Really."

The boy's cheeks darkened, "You're welcome. I just really wanted to tell you after what that Icicle guy said to you. It wasn't right and…you deserve to know what others really think of you."

The smile on her face widened and an alluring thought crossed her mind, "Hey, look. I was about to be done with this bag anyway. Can I take a shower and meet you in the kitchen in five?"

"What for?" Jaime asked.

"To celebrate our success with some sundaes!" she exclaimed, flying over to him and kissing the top of his forehead, "I think we both deserve it, don't you think?"

Too absorbed in their close proximity and the kiss, Jaime merely nodded. She laughed and passed by him, readying herself for the warm shower waiting to greet her skin and the ice cream waiting to be eaten with an upstanding guy.

Date #1 was about to take session after all.


	5. Hypocrite

_In which Batgirl and Nightwing spy on Cassie and Jaime:_

"Hey, Nightwing," Barbara sauntered over to Dick's makeshift bed in the Bludhaven warehouse, appreciating the way his arms tensed _just_ slightly at the sound of her voice. Untrained eyes wouldn't be able to catch such a small ministration, but Barbara had been teaching herself to read bodies since she was eight. Her father always harped about the many bad people who could take advantage of her if she wasn't careful; she didn't think such a skill would come to help her catch Dick off-guard and vulnerable, "You want to see a show?"

He quirked his head, putting the book he'd been reading against his chest, "I don't know, Batgirl. It is kind of late and there isn't anyone here but Blue and Wonder Girl to stand guard…"

Barbara shook her head, resisting the urge to smile, "No, no. I didn't mean go out and watch some movie. I mean watch a show right here, right now. It's about to happen on the sofa as we speak."

"There's going to be a movie on one of the network channels?" he asked, "That's weird, it's not even a weekend - "

"How are you the number one protege of Batman again?" she grabbed onto her hips, leaning towards him with a faux, irritated frown, "This has nothing to do with a movie. A show, Dick. A_ live_ show is going to happen on the couch and I'm inviting you to watch it with me."

It took him a few more seconds to connect the dots, but when he did, a groan escaped him and his hand smacked his forehead, "Please don't tell me she's going to do that now."

"She said tonight's the night," Barbara smirked, taking the opportunity to sit on a vacant space of his mattress, "And I don't know about you, but I need to see just how many shades both of them can turn red."

"You know this could end up _terribly,_ right?" Dick massaged his temples, "You remember when Jason tried to make moves on Donna?"

She laughed, remembering all too well, "I still can't believe he had the gall to do that at the New Year's Party with Wonder Woman right there! She was this close to throwing him out the window before Bruce stepped in."

"Yes, exactly. So you can see my reservations about this," Dick clarified, "Team romances can work, like Artemis and Wally's, but when they crumble? Like mine and Zatanna's or Conner and M'gann's? Things can get pretty ugly and mean_ real_ fast."

"Oh, please, they're just kids," she took a hold of his hand and gave it a little squeeze, "They'll be fine. Cassie has all the girls if things don't go the way I 95% expect them to and Jaime has you and Robin and Lagoon Boy and Impulse. Let's see what happens, okay?"

Dick took a deep sigh before turning towards her; she wished she had the courage to swipe off his mask and look into his baby blues, "Fine. We'll see how this goes. But if it gets too hot and heavy, I'm intervening. There is no way any babies are being made on that couch."

She would have chuckled and insisted that both of them were responsible, intelligent teenagers that wouldn't try boning each other in the plain sight of their leader, but the sound of bodies falling below them stole her attention. The pair of Gothamites leaned forward from the bed and opened the curtains a little, eyes drinking in the view of Cassie and Jaime tangled together on the couch.

"_Dios mio,_ Cassie! I'm so sorry!" Jaime exclaimed, struggling to push of the couch without touching her further, "I - I didn't see you! I feel like such an idiot. Here, let me just - "

Cassie's giggle could be heard from underneath Jaime's form and a pair of petite, strong arms latched around his neck, "It's okay, Jaime. I don't mind. I_ like_ being close to you."

"Oh you have gotta be kidding…" Dick mumbled, but Barbara swatted at his shoulder, a giant smile spread across her face.

"You..you do?" Jaime's voice quaked, but he made no move to leave. If anything, his body pushed closer, his head hovering inches above the gorgeous blonde.

"Why, yes! Of course!" Cassie exclaimed, "You're fun and smart and cute! Why wouldn't I want to be near someone like you?"

"Well…I mean - " Jaime cleared his throat, one his hands making its way to scratch the back of his head, "I've never thought of myself like that. Most of my friends tell me I'm a dork…"

Cassie's next words could have been hard to hear, but the audio amplifier wired in her mask helped Barbara pick it up, "I'm not most of your friends, am I?"

"No…no you're not," Jaime whispered back and as though emboldened by her response, the new Blue Beetle dipped forward and pressed his lips against hers, wrapping his arms around her taut waist. Cassie squealed in delight and she pulled them lower onto the couch, leaving Barbara and Dick just a view of their interlaced legs.

"Good for you, Cass," Barbara couldn't help but feel proud of her young friend. She'd been nursing the courage to kiss Jaime and what better way then to trip Blue up in thin, unnoticeable -

"Batwires," Dick stated, eyes narrowing, "She tripped him using Batwires."

"How could you tell?" she continued to smile despite Dick's disapproval.

"I've been around them for ten years," he replied, "I should know. Now, thing is, how did she get access to my stash?"

"You know," Barbara began, pushing herself off his mattress, "You really should hide your little toys better when you're out on patrol."

"Or I should remember that there are only a few people who know me better than Miss Barbara Gordon," he smirked, taking a hold of her hand and pulling her down on top of him, "Now, since they're having their fun, what do you say we break in this mattress? Still pretty stiff if you ask me."

"But what about the no baby-making policy on the couch?" she bit at her lip as he took a hold of her hips, drawing her into his chest.

"I'll give them five minutes or so," was his rushed reply, lips snaking their way up her exposed temple, "My girlfriend comes first."

"You're such a hypocrite when it comes to this," Barbara rolled her eyes, but gave in just the same. It was becoming all too easy to indulge him in these "breaks" now…


	6. Valentine's Day: Year 1

"No….no, no, no, no!" Jaime rushed out, tearing apart his room from top to bottom in search of that perfect card with the perfect gift for his perfect girlfriend. How could he be so stupid? It had been on the dresser just an hour ago! He'd just gone down to bake her a batch of snickerdoodle cookies (her absolute favorite apparently) and now it was just _gone_!

_It could not have vanished unless through incineration_, Khaji Da said, _We left it on the dresser. It must have been stolen. Scanning for rodents._

"No need," Jaime grumbled, smacking himself on the forehead. Why hadn't he thought of her the moment he noticed it missing? "There's a giant rodent running around the house with my gift as we speak."

He hurried down the stairs, looking every which way for a messy head of pigtails, his voice falling between singing and screaming, "_Milagro! Donde esta, mi hermanita_?"

A faint giggle could be heard from the other side of the living room and Jaime ran towards the sound, jumping over the couch and coming face to face with his squealing eight year-old sister.

"_Mira, mira!"_ Milagro flaunted a hot pink envelope in front of him, sticking her tongue out for good measure, "Look what I have, _hermano_!"

"Okay," Jaime did his best to calm down, taking a few deep breaths before taking a step forward, "_Dimelo_, Milagro. And you walk free from this without me telling mom anything."

"No," Milagro shook her head, grinning and laughing all the more, "I don't think so."

"Ugh, Milagro, _que quieres_?" he practically begged his sister. This was his first Valentine's Day with Cassie and in order to make sure it was perfect, he needed that envelope, the card, _and _the perfect little gift inside.

"You know what I want," was Milagro's reply.

"Fine, I'll set you up on a…" Jaime had to take another breath just to get the word out, "…_date_ with Tye, but it can only be _one_ date and you need to accept the fact that he is now _very_ happy with Asami! My _hermanita _will not be a homewrecker_, comprende_?"

"_Comprendo_!" Milagro shrilled as she drove into her brother for a tight hug, "_Gracias, gracias_, Jaime!"

"_Bueno, bueno_, now if you would just give me _that_," Jaime snatched the envelope away from her tiny fists as he returned her affection, "And I will see you later tonight! _Adios, Milagro! Te amo_!"

"_Te amo_, Jaime," Milagro grinned and waved as Jaime bolted out the door and flew off into the sky towards the Zeta Tubes, both cookies and envelope in tow.

Now all he had to worry about is whether she liked opals or not…


	7. Valentine's Day: Year 3

"Billy Batson, how is it again you're older than me?" Cassie asked as the pair walked up to the terminal Queen Perdita would be exiting from. The teenager to her right seemed to be burning circles into the blue carpet, his hair brimming with sweat.

"Cassie, this is a _queen_ we are talking about!" Billy exclaimed, nervously clasping the brightly-wrapped package in his hand, "_A queen_! Have you ever given a queen who you happen to have a crush on a Valentine's Day present? I didn't think so! She has everything,_ can have everything_! All the jewelry in the world, chocolate delivered fresh from Switzerland or Belgium, the biggest stuffed bear ordered straight from the best Japanese manufacturers! Everything can be hers and all I can offer her is this crummy little present on the most romantic day of the year."

"Wow, you are such a worry wart," Cassie shook her head, giving his shoulder a tight squeeze, "It doesn't matter what you got her, Billy. If it came from you, I'm sure she'll be more than happy with it. I mean, she did postpone her meeting with the President_ twice_ just so she could land on _this_ particular day."

"Indeed I did, Miss Wonder Girl," a regal voice said from behind them. The pair whipped around to see Queen Perdita dressed in a lavish, dark pink gown that traveled to the end of her ankles. She smiled brightly at Billy, walking up to him with a curt nod, "I believe you have something for me, Mr. Batson?"

"Oh…uh! Yeah!" Billy cleared his throat, holding out her gift with tight, shaky fists, "This is for you, obviously – I mean, for Your Majesty! Happy Valentine's Day! I know it's not anything fancy or huge but I – "

A firm finger to his lips quieted Billy, and Perdita giggled as she drew her hand back and quickly unwrapped the package. When she opened the lid, a small gasp left her mouth and she picked out the item from the crumpled up tissue paper. It was a hand-carved frame, painted with Vlatava's flag colors. Inside was a picture of a younger Billy and Perdita, most likely capturing one of their first meetings.

"I – I made it in shop at my high school," Bill began, rubbing the back of his neck, "I thought, since you told me you didn't have any pictures of us from when we were younger, I could copy one of mine and –"

While it may have been behavior beneath a Queen in public, Perdita pulled Billy into a tight hug, burying her head into his chest, "I love it. Thank you so much."

Billy only looked at Cassie for a moment, who shrugged in an 'I-told-you-so' fashion. He soon turned back to Perdita and returned her hug, the first one they had shared in over five months.

Once they pulled away and Perdita excused herself for her behavior, she looped an arm over Billy's and strolled down the terminal towards the baggage claim, several members of her Royal Guard right behind her.

As Cassie was about to follow, a pair of firm, familiar arms latched onto her waist and a husky, low voice whispered into her ear, "Don't tell me you forgot I was on that plane too?"

She smiled, snaking one hand up her boyfriend's face and feeling his scruffy chin, "I see you haven't shaved, Jaime."

"I thought I surprise you with your favorite look," he replied, twirling her around and grinning from ear-to-ear, "Happy Valentine's Day_, bonita_."

"Happy Valentine's Day to you, too," she giggled as she leaned in for a slow, deep kiss.

So slow in fact, Billy had to tear them away from one another and drag them to the limos five minutes later, "And you said _I_ have it bad…"


	8. Morsels

"Hey, Jaime, you sure about this?" Cassie asked, making a feeble attempt to get off of their living room couch, "I could - "

"Oh, no, no, no," Jaime replied as he gently pushed her back into the plush cushions, "I told you that when you got home from this week long mission in Japan, you were going to sit back, relax, and enjoy the cooking of your _un amor verdadero_."

Cassie giggled, relaxing into her seat and giving him a quick wink, "Alright, blue. I've just never seen you work in the kitchen by yourself. You usually have some kind of help."

"How do you think I survive when you're not around?" Jaime quirked an eyebrow.

"I don't know. You probably Zeta your mom or Tye to help out somehow," Cassie teased.

"Ha, ha, very funny," he scoffed, turning away from his girlfriend and towards the kitchen, "Believe me, _bonita_. This is one meal you'll never forget."

"I await to be amazed," Cassie winked again, directing her attention to the cheesy romcom on the TV.

_Okay, Jaime Reyes,_ he thought, looking over the _chile colorado_ stirring in the pot above the oven, _You've defeated the Reach: an entire alien invasion! You have the power to make your girlfriend one of the most amazing meals of her life._

_Affirmative, _Khaji Da said inside his head, Y_our skills in the kitchen are more than adequate to delight your female companion, especially if you use - _

_"No," _Jaime denied, seasoning the chile with more black pepper, "I don't care if it's an aphrodisiac, we are_ not_ putting that in enchiladas. Besides, once she tries this, she won't be able to resist my domestic charm."

_Then you are a fool, Jaime Reyes_, he seemed to seethed, _How will you be able to mate with the Wonder Girl and produce viable offspring -_

"_Dios Mio_, we are not going through this again!" Jaime exclaimed before lowering his voice, turning to make sure Cassie was still preoccupied with her movie, "Look, I know we've been dating for four years now and for some reason, you've been on me about having kids since the second go-around, but I'm only twenty-one and she's still a teenager! Heck, we need to be married first before kids come into the equation."

_Then you should proceed with forwarding your relationship through marriage,_ Khaji Da said as though it was the simplest of solutions,_ If it is the only way to receive offspring from the Wonder Girl, then it must be done._

Jaime sighed, not bothering to reply. He'd been trying to get it through his head that it would be awhile until he and Cassie were ready for marriage and kids, but Khaji Da just couldn't be reasoned with. He figured that if they were planning to stay together, they should hurry it up and "contribute to the superhuman population."

But Jaime didn't have much time to ponder on it. The chicken was just ready to shred from its pot and he needed to start dipping and frying the tortillas in the pan coated in oil. The chile was ready - it just needed to stay warm while he prepared the rest of the ingredients.

The cooking process went smoothly - shredding the chicken and cheese into a bowl, lightly frying the tortillas, dipping them in the chile, and putting them in the casserole dish he "borrowed" from Mal and Karen a year ago. Soon, he layered the chicken, cheese, and an assortment of olives and onions onto the tortillas before rolling them up and adding another layer of chile, cheese, and olives on top. Carefully, he placed the dish into the oven and set the timer for thirty minutes. Then, he was off stirring up oil and rice, letting the grain reach a golden brown and drenching the combination in tomato sauce and water.

"Hey, babe, you almost done in there?" Cassie called from the living room, "I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry."

"So I see someone caught the scent of delicious, traditional Mexican cuisine," Jaime replied, a smirk playing on his lips, "Soon, Cassie, you'll be getting the meal of your life."

"Ugh, whenever you say soon that could mean two minutes or two hours," she whined and he could practically hear her squirm in her seat, "Can I just have a -"

"Nope," his smirk widened, "You get off that couch, you'll have to see me eat it all."

"No fair!" Cassie huffed, slamming into the couch and causing a slight shake around the apartment, "This isn't very relaxing, you know."

"Aye, _mujer_," Jaime mumbled, rolling his eyes, "Soon means like five minutes, okay? And I promise to feed it to you and everything."

Her audible gasp carried to the kitchen and she squealed, "Really?"

Jaime blushed, resisting the urge to turn around and see her bubbly face twisted into a gorgeous smile (which would undoubtedly be his undoing for the rest of the nigh)t, "Yes, _bonita_. Really."

The giggles continued well into his final cooking preparations. When both the rice and enchiladas were finished, he placed the simmering concoction onto a large plate and Jaime exited the kitchen to sit next to his excited, hungry blonde wonder. She scooched towards him until their hips were touching, her face red from all the laughter.

"C'mon, lover boy," Cassie smiled, placing both hands on his shoulder and brushing her cheek against his, "Feed me."

Jaime gulped before returning her smile, a blush creeping up on his face as he dug a forkful of enchiladas and rice from the plate and tilted it next to her lips, "_Come, amor_."

She did as she was told, a cute moan escaping as the the food hit her tongue, "Oh wow, Jaime. That is amazing! Way to prove me wrong! Now, more, _por favor_!"

Despite wanting to relish in his victory, he simply lowered the fork back to the plate and gave her another appetizing mouthful, "Anything for you, Cassie."

Indeed it seemed, when it came to Cassie, delicious morsels of any kind granted Jaime access to endless giggles and kisses. And assuredly, he enjoyed every single one.


	9. Earth-3

"That's not true," Blue Beetle twisted his head towards his fiance, deciding it was unnecessary to keep focus while the bank teller frantically stowed away cash into his bag, "I'm pretty sure our first kiss was in Taipei. Remember, just after we killed that guy?"

"No, I do _not_ remember," Wonder Girl sulked, taking out the security guards and policemen stupid enough to shoot at her with quick jabs in the face, "Our first kiss wasn't after some fucking assassination. It had to be more romantic than that."

_Checking the memory database_, his Scarab said, _What you say is true, Jaime Reyes. Your first kiss with the Wonder Girl was in Taipei after the successful assassination of the Mad Hatter and his accomplice Cheshire_.

"Hah! Scarab says I'm right!" Blue Beetle chuckled, flashing his fiance a wicked smirk, "C'mon, don't act all uppity about it. The blood on your face was too arousing to pass up, honestly."

"Oh, I'm _so_ glad that's what finally did it for you," she rolled her eyes as she kicked two men against the cream-colored walls, "I'll make sure to cover myself in the stuff when we finally get a shot at that ice chump and his little bitch."

"Wow," Jaime chuckled, taking the bag from the teller before hitting her and the booth with his plasma canon, "I forgot how much you hate that girl."

"She _betrayed_ us," Wonder Girl growled, flying up to him and grabbing onto one of the other loads previously filled, "All for that prick. What I wouldn't give to squash them both on the floor like the vermin they are…"

"Chill, babe," he took a hold of her hand, squeezing it tightly, "We still have to get this cash to the Syndicate. _Then_ we can go on our little tirade. Besides…"

And despite the fact that another onslaught of cops were rounding the corner, he pressed his lips to her ear and lowered his voice, tickling her skin with hot, sultry words, "I _really_ like it when you're angry."

"Are you really suggesting we have sex after this?" Wonder Girl scoffed, pushing him away and punching a hole into the ceiling, "….God,_ fine_, okay? But we're doing it after we take showers, got it?"

"Or while we're _in_ the shower," Blue Beetle mumbled, his eyes taking on a devilish glint as they lifted off into the sky.

_The earth forces will continue to pursue,_ the Scarab commented, _Suggested tactic_ -

"Incineration!" Blue Beetle finished for him, grinning from ear to ear while he turned away from his fiance and fired up his plasma canon. A few seconds more and the whole of his arm lit up into a bright, neon blue. With a dark laugh, he shot the entirety of the blue entity down at the bank, watching as the light engulfed the building and the inhabitants below.

"What'cha think of that, _bonita_?" he asked Wonder Girl, gliding up towards her.

"Hmmm…." her voice trailed, allowing him to snake an arm around her waist as they continued to fly off to the Syndicate base, "Maybe the shower can wait."

Blue Beetle laughed again, retracting the armor around his head and swooping in to capture her lips with his own.


	10. Earth-3: Battle

"Oh you gotta be kidding me," Icicle Jr. groaned, his mouth agape at the sight above him, "Are they really making out _again_? It's like they're not even taking this seriously."

"Newsflash, genius: they're _not_," Artemis replied to her boyfriend, quickly pulling out another explosive arrow from her quiver and aiming it towards the couple, "We're at a severe disadvantage without Match around to help us out."

"Yeah, that fucking douche walked out the moment he pinpointed the location of his stupid dick of a brother," Icicle Jr. narrowed his eyes and concentrated his efforts on aiding her arrow, massive white shards shooting out from beside his feet, "Leaving all the hard work to us!"

He hurdled the shards towards the duo as Artemis shot her arrow, both cursing as it took little effort for Wonder Girl and Blue Beetle to dodge the attack and continue making obscene, seductive gestures at the other.

"There is no way I'm losing to a couple of creeps that insist on treating us like trash," Artemis shot a few more arrows at the gliding couple, hoping that her superior aim could at least nick on of her opponents at top speed. All she needed was one scratch -

A giant explosion boomed in front of her and Icicle Jr., clouding Wonder Girl and Blue Beetle in wafts of black smoke. Immense joy and relief swarmed over her chest, but she didn't allow herself to celebrate just yet. Neither did Cameron, who stood ever alert a few yards away. There had been a brief yelp, sounding distinctly feminine. Must have been…

"You're going to pay for that, you little pieces of shit!" Blue Beetle yelled, a large rush of air whipping the smoke back into their faces. Wonder Girl hung over his shoulders, unconscious but still breathing from the looks of it. Artemis cursed her luck; she had hoped the arrow would hit him. While they were both difficult to handle under average circumstances, Blue Beetle was definitely the more deadly of the two to beat, especially when considering she was a normal, "No one hits her like that!"

"Consider it payback for the time you almost _killed_ my boyfriend," Artemis spat back despite the fear beginning to crawl up her legs and arms. Shit, he was _pissed_. His eyes were burning white, his armor lit up in his signature neon blue…they would have to make a run for it. _Again_; if they wanted to survive.

"While I appreciate the sentiment, we have to move," Cameron ran towards her and grabbed onto her arm, his touch cold and harsh, "_Now._"

"Oh no, you two think I'm finished?" Blue Beetle chuckled darkly, lowering himself to the crumbling street, "When I'm done with you, you're going to be nothing but scrap. Wonder Girl may have wanted you for herself, but this just became a hell of a lot more personal."

"We need to get back to the Jester," her boyfriend whispered, his other arm generating a wall of dry ice between them and the approaching Blue Beetle, "Or at least you do."

"Fuck off," Artemis said, squeezing his hand and immediately rushing them towards the manhole before he could protest, "You're coming with me or you'll never hear the end of it in the afterlife."

"God, you're so stubborn," Cameron scoffed, jumping into the manhole as Blue Beetle demolished the wall of ice protecting them. They dashed into the depths of the sewers, Cameron doing his best to cover their initial entrance with as much ice as possible. It wouldn't stop him forever, but it would give them time to escape and fight another day.

At least in the next round, they would be receiving their foes' undivided attention.


	11. Rival Number One

"She's totally into me, you know," Roy said, aiming another arrow at the target, "Cassie."

His heart skipped a beat at the name and Jaime did his best to suppress the fear and hurt rising in his chest. Cassie liked him? The guy with serious PTSD and anger issues up the wazoo? He tried to wave it off, giving a solid kick to the punching bag for good measure, "Uh-huh. And how would you know that, Arsenal? She may flirt a lot, but I've never seen Cassie actually make a move on a guy before."

"Well, maybe she hadn't found the right one," Roy countered, releasing his arrow and hitting the target straight in the heart. Why was he even practicing archery? It's not like he used it anymore, "Until she met me. Besides, I have plenty of evidence to back-up my claim, Beetle."

"Like what?" Jaime asked, wondering just _why_ Arsenal was telling him this in the first place. They rarely spoke outside of missions and he was pretty sure the boy loathed him for one reason or another. But then again, there might not be many people _to_ talk to for the original Roy Harper. He'd already burnt a lot of bridges…

"Like a kiss," Roy smirked, his eyes looking up towards the ceiling, seemingly recalling the memory with fondness, "It was quick and simple, but she made sure to let me know that wasn't some friendly thing she gives to Beast Boy or even Robin. That kiss…was meant to lead to something more."

Jaime felt himself grow nauseous, the pit of his stomach transforming into starving, frantic butterflies. This totally was not happening. It had to be some kind of joke or maybe he was having a dream. Cassie wouldn't. She would _not_ like a guy like Roy Harper. He'd been sure - he'd been certain -

"So, I'm going to ask her out and was hoping for some advice, seeing as you two have a pretty tight relationship, or at least that's what I've heard," Roy's voice called him back to the room, but the butterflies biting at his stomach remained intact, "You think she'd like something like a traditional bouquet of flowers - maybe even a teddy bear with some cheesy note? I never really dated anyone before…"

"Yeah, Arsenal," was all Jaime could say, nodding his head and patting the boy on the shoulder. It would be so easy to lead Roy down the wrong path and mess up his chances with Cassie entirely. But…even if he could be a major asshole, it wouldn't make Jaime any better of a person to deny him a chance at some happiness. And really? Who deserved happiness more than a guy who lost eight years of his life? "A bouquet of flowers would do just fine, though she'd probably appreciate a stuffed chimera more. Pretty popular mythological monster-thing she always goes on about…"

"Chimera," Roy repeated, "Got it. Hey, thanks…Jaime."

And despite the fact he might be losing the girl of his dreams, Jaime smiled. For that was the first time Arsenal used his real name.


	12. Rival Number Two

_How, how, _how_ can I compete with that?!_ Cassie's grumbled thoughts had her slamming her head back into the cushions of the stiff warehouse couch. She really,_ really_ wanted to leave, but that would make it super obvious how she felt about the little convo going on a few feet away from her. Sweet Aphrodite, why did Zatanna always grab the attention of all the super cute guys? She already had Billy wrapped around her finger - did she really need to add another?

"But yeah, it can get pretty hot in the armor sometimes," Jaime replied to _another_ of Zatanna's question, and Cassie had to wonder if Zatanna knew what she was doing. Hadn't Barbara or Karen or even M'gann told her Jaime Reyes was strictly off-limits to everyone else on the team or the Justice League? That Cassie, eventually, was going to make her move if Jaime didn't by like, mid-July? That was seven months of leeway, yeah, but Jaime was supposed to shy about this kind of stuff. But the way he was talking around Zee was making her consider otherwise, "Which is why I try to take a shower as soon as possible. It doesn't breath much either and I really hate smelling like sweaty socks."

Zatanna chuckled at his remark, leaning in just a tad more than she should, if she had any decency. Wasn't she almost twenty? What was she doing flirting with someone who was five years younger and, as stated previously (but Cassie felt the need to reiterate), _off-limits_, "Quite the charmer, aren't you, Blue? I never would have guessed."

Jaime scoffed, cheeks reddening. And then (_and freaking then_), Zatanna had the nerve to look in Cassie's direction and _wink_ at her. Oh, that was it. The final straw. She didn't care if she'd seen first-hand that Zatanna had the capabilities to summon the goddess Isis, no one messed around with her almost-boyfriend and got away with it.

"Jaime Reyes!" Cassie exclaimed, flying off the sofa and wedging herself in-between the pair, "You and I are going to go on a date like we should have your third work on the team. And you're going to _like_ it."

The older boy blinked a few times and gulped before nodding his head, "Wow…um, okay, Cass. Where do you want to go?"

"It's a surprise," Cassie replied, a thrill of excitement rushing into her veins. Holy crap, did she just make her move and did he just say yes? Emboldened by his response, she scooped him up into her arms despite his protest, curtly nodded a farewell to (the completely unnerved) Zee, and flew out of the warehouse.

"Hey, hey!" Jaime yelled in her arms, "I can fly you know!"

"Yeah?" Cassie quirked an eyebrow, "Well, _I_ think this is more romantic. And I asked you out, so everything goes by my rules."

Jaime sighed, crossing his arms against his chest, "Fine."

But, truth be told, the boy, too, was elated. He really thought he was pushing his luck when Zatanna suggested this approach to finally get Cassie to spill the beans. Still, it was apparently well worth it, if the girl tightly holding him with eyes dead set on finding the perfect date spot was any indication.

Back at the warehouse, Zatanna laughed and shook her head, wondering if Dick was still around for a late night run to a cafe, "Teenagers. How typical."


	13. Ovulating

_She is at peak ovulation. _

Jaime sputtered, almost dropping the soapy dish he was rinsing off back into the sink. The way Khaji Da said it so…_matter-of-fact_ really unnerved him sometime. Didn't he understand that was a matter of privacy, even if the the Scarab attached to his spine was acting like a doting, _annoying_ older relative?

"Hey, you can't just tell me that!" Jaime scolded, turning his head and looking disapprovingly over his shoulder, "That's some pretty private stuff, _ese_. And I doubt even Cassie knows she's at peak ovulation or whatever you call it."

_If the Wonder Girl wants to produce fertile offspring with you_, the Scarab continued on, further ignoring Jaime's attempts to chastised him, _Then she, too, should be maintaining a weekly check-up on her reproductive organs_. _It is easy to tell when you know what to look for. Before menstruation begins, women are said to look more alluring to the male species. Do you not believe the Wonder Girl is more appealing today than others_?

Jaime bit back a hiss, deciding it wise to not start a fight with Khaji Da while Cassie was still in the shower. It might end up with her thinking something was wrong, bolting out of the bathroom in nothing but a soaked towel and proving his Scarab right, "I do not have enough hours in the day to tell you how inappropriate it would be to call attention to _that_ to Cassie."

_I see no problem with the tactic I will propose and have proposed to you_, Khaji Da seemed to shrug, _All you have to do is inquire to her beauty and suggest if it is ovulation. She, if she has kept up with her womanly maintenance, will no doubt be pleased with your knowledge. It would eventually lead to the birth of your offspring_.

"_Ay Dios Mio_, we're not even married yet!" Jaime heaved, drying his hands off with a nearby paper towel, "How many times do I have to tell you that first comes love, then comes marriage, _then_ comes freaking babies in baby carriages!"

_Then I suggest bringing up the topic of marriage as soon as possible, before she winds up in the arms of someone more willing to give her viable, but not superior offspring,_ Khaji Da said, _Like the Red Robin_.

"You mention Tim one more time and you'll have hell to pay for, Khaji," Jaime replied, massaging his temples out as he made his way towards the living room couch. Like he needed constant reminders of the fight he had to put up for Cassie in the first place… "And sure, you know what? I will ask Cassie to marry me. And it will -"

"You're going to what?" his heart froze as Cassie's words hung in the air. He turned around to see his girlfriend, dazed with eyes bright and mouth agape, struggling to comprehend the current situation, "Jaime? Did - did you just - "

And damn it all to hell, Khaji Da had been ever _so_ correct. Dripping wet and stunned out of her mind, Cassie Sandsmark was one hot chick tonight.

Maybe asking for her hand right now wouldn't be such a bad idea…


	14. Earth-3: Comfort

*FREAKING BEST AU OR BEST AU, AMIRITE?*

"I'm going to hunt them down and blast them into stardust. I swear it, Cassie," Jaime seethed as he looked over her wounds again, looking for any signs of infection. Dammit, she was a demigoddess! How on earth could that bitch's trick arrow do this much damage to her? She must have upped the explosives in them, in order to combat them more effectively... "You have my word, beautiful. I'll make her suffer like you want her to. I'll kill Frostbite first, so she knows what it's like to despair over the love of her life. And when she has nothing left to give, I'll suck her soul dry."

His fiance did not respond, still deep in slumber. It was better that way, Blue Beetle believed. She didn't have to feel the pain she was no doubt enduring. He'd bandaged her up pretty well, but it was nowhere near the capabilities of others in the Crime Syndicate. Dammit, why was help so far away? Her mentor may be cold and ruthless, but she did care about Cassie, right? They needed those reinforcements and they needed them_ now_.

Fed up, Blue Beetle took a firm hold of his fiance's hand, doing his best to not let fear waver in-and-out of his heart. He was better than this; Cassie would certainly be berating him if she saw how weak he was in their current situation. She didn't need his concern. She needed his anger, his drive. It was the only way to give her a fighting chance.

"Please, _mi dulce amor_," Jaime whispered, calling her the only pet name he had for her in his native tongue, "Live. We'll get through this. There will be hell to pay when you wake, and I would hate for you to miss out on it. Live for _us_, Cassie."

And soon, a tiny moan escaped her, yet she did not wake. It was more than enough for Jaime, however. It was a sign that Lady Luck had returned in their favor once again.


	15. Encyclopedia

"So...what's wrong with him?" Jaime pointed towards the infirmary, the door cracked just enough for he, Cassie, and Garfield to sneak a peek at the dull-eyed Conner. That wasn't like him at all, or at least not from what Jaime had seen in the past three weeks. Superboy's eyes usually held a frustrated, determined glint that only seemed to be stoked in the most casual of settings, like team dinners or movie nights. But_ this_? Even Paco's fat cat had a more lively spark in its tired gaze, "Did that attack make him - I don't know - braindead or something?"

"I think the Justice League or at least Superman would have been notified if that was the case," Robin said from behind the trio, crooking his neck to get a better look inside, "There's no reason to worry. Superboy was just hit one too many times this go-around by Devastation. He's just reverted to what the seniors call _Encyclopedia Mode_."

"Yeah, yeah, Encyclopedia Mode!" Garfield exclaimed, wagging his tail in excitement, "You guys have got to see it! Conner will tell you anything you want to know - I once made a wicked strawberry souffle with his help."

"They programmed him to be a walking cookbook?" Cassie pursed her lips, stare skeptical, "That doesn't make any sense. He was supposed to be a weapon of mass destruction, right? What would he need recipes for?"

"Probably to go undercover," Tim replied, "If he ever needed to, that is. Trust me, Beast Boy and I have seen it. Cadmus thought of everything."

"Oooo, well, if that's the case," Cassie's lips now broke into a smile, grabbing onto Jaime's sweater and pulling him into the room, "We should see for ourselves, Blue!"

"I don't think this is your best idea..." Jaime trailed, shooting a pleading look to the two boys behind them. They followed Cassie's lead, however, apparently just as eager to watch encyclopedia mode unfold before them, "Amigos, c'mon. Isn't this like an invasion a privacy?"

"Nah, Conner doesn't mind," Gar shrugged, "We've asked him before. He thinks we might as well get something out of him when he's like this. Now...what do I want to ask?"

"Oh, oh!" Cassie jumped up into the air and hovered over Superboy, seemingly unaware she still held Jaime in her hand. His feet dangled above Conner's bed, almost grazing the boy's shoulders. He would have protested (and the Scarab was already suggesting dismemberment), when Cassie blurted the first thing that came to mind, "Hey, Conner! What's the summary of_ Romeo and Juliet_?"

The blank-faced boy looked up at her, his dull eyes rattling Jaime, "_Romeo and Juliet_: a play written by William Shakespeare, influenced by tragic romance stories dating back to the Ancient Greeks. The story begins with a street fight between the Montague and Capulet families. Each are sworn enemies of the other. The Prince of Verona then breaks up their fight and another character, Count Paris, asks the father of Juliet for her hand in marriage. After - "

"Ack, this is boring, Cassie!" Garfield whined, hopping up onto the empty bed beside Conner, "How about we get him to talk about something really interesting, like animals! Conner, how do zebras communicate with one another?"

"Zebras communicate with each other with high pitched barks and whinnying," Conner said, each word crisp and clear as though he was reading off a dictionary, "The ears of a zebra signify their mood. If a zebra is calm or feeling friendly, their ears stand erect. When a zebra is frightened, its ears will be pushed forward. When angry, the ears will be pushed backwards. When - "

"Hey, Garfield!" Cassie huffed, crossing her arms with Jaime still in tow. The boy gasped, acutely aware that his head was really, _really_ close to her chest, "That's not fair! You've already seen him like this before. I want to ask him questions."

"Yeah, so you don't have to do your English homework," Garfield countered, wagging his finger at her in mock disapproval, "I heard you complaining to Batgirl about all that 'boring romance' you had to read."

"Shakespeare has nothing on the Greek classics," Cassie replied, her hold on Jaime's jacket tense, "Why should I read his stupid stuff? If Conner has all the answers, why not use him to help finish off my essay?"

"Because it's...uh, wrong?" Jaime squeaked from below her, his cheeks burning at the mere fact that the top of his head was now pushed in-between the curves of her breasts due to her constant flailing, "And, um, could you put me down? Please?"

"What? You're on his side?" Cassie pouted, turning Jaime so he faced her, "I can't believe you, Blue! You're my recruit. You_ always_ need to be on my side."

_Gosh, she's pretty,_ was all Jaime could think, stare flickering down to her full, pink lips, "Uhh...well, asking for summaries isn't really cheating though, right? That's something you can find on the internet or in the back of the book, I guess."

"Ahh, I knew you wouldn't let me down!" Cassie giggled as Garfield growled something about the 'bro code' or the whatnot, "Okay, Conner, now would you - "

"Its nest consists of long coarse grass, twigs, paper, and feathers, and is smeared with mud and often cushioned with grass or other soft materials," Conner's voice droned on and the trio turned to see Robin studiously taking notes, "The American Robin is among the first birds to sing at dawn, and its song consists of several discrete units that are repeated."

"Interesting..." Robin said as he continued with his writing, ignoring the gruff complaints of his teammates.


	16. Tease

"Soooo, hermano," Bart leaned against the counter top, wagging an eyebrow, "You and Cassie? Guys a thing now or what?"

"What?" Jaime shifted his eyes away from his prodding friend, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets, "No, of course not. We're just friends. We just hang out a lot, you know? Like we do."

"Uh-huh," Bart nodded his head, getting that somewhat knowing look that drove Jaime crazy. The kid was only thirteen! How did he have so much wisdom instilled in him already? "Yeah, not buying it. What we have? Can't even compare to the way you _look_ at her at times. I mean, jeez dude, how obvious can you make it?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jaime countered, biting the bottom of his lip in slight panic. Man, he already had similar conversations with Conner and Tye before. Did he really need another one?

_You are lying, Jaime Reyes_, the Scarab interrupted his thoughts, voice as robotic as ever, _Your body produces strong biochemical reactions whenever the Wonder Girl is present and they only heighten the more time you spend with her_.

"Not you too," Jaime groaned, sighing and hanging his head in defeat.

"Ah? Is my good friend the Scarab agreeing with lil' old me?" Bart nudged Jaime in the ribs and gave him a quick wink, "You can't beat teenage hormones, buddy. You got it bad for the beautiful, the wonderful, the exquisite, the - "

"Okay, okay," Jaime pushed him away, taking a few steps back, "I get the point. And yeah, you're right. I…I do like her."

"Yes!" Bart exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air, "I knew it! Ah man, Blue, we have _got_ to set you two up! Maybe we could get Tye and Sam to play along for a double date? I bet Cassie would love to hang out with them some more."

"_Mira,_ Bart, aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?" Jaime questioned, knowing this would happen. Impulsive in every sense of the word, this kid was, "She may not even like me back."

"Wow," Bart chuckled, moving in to pat Jaime on the back, "You, Jaime Reyes? When it comes to girls? Are as dense as a rusty door nail."


	17. Candy

"You sure no one's going to recognize her?" Tye asked as he fussed around with his cape some more. Jaime had to give Asami props - Tye was the splitting image of a classic Dracula, "I mean she's -"

"Like you saying who she is out loud is really going to help," Jaime rolled his eyes, adjusting the feather on his green hat so it wouldn't fall over his eyes, "I still can't believe you and Asami got me me to wear this stupid thing."

"Peter Pan..._suits_ Jaime very much," Asami giggled, bouncing around in the Mako Mori costume she had designed from scratch, "Better than mummy costume."

"Yeah, _much_ better," Tye agreed while he smirked at his friend's defiant glare, "Anyway, not the point, bro. Your girl is dressed up as Wonder Woman. Someone's bound to connect the dots at some point."

"And if you keep talking about it, someone's bound to overhear you," Jaime hissed, "So can we please drop the subject? It's bad enough she got to the party before we did..."

His words trailed as the trio made their way up the front yard of Paco's house, a haunting hip-hop tune blaring through the windows. Orange and black lights hung from every corner of the roof while the grass was decorated with plastic tombstones and scattered bones. The front door was covered in yellow caution tape slathered in red food coloring. Good to know Paco had yet to lose his enthusiasm over the holiday.

Tye knocked on the door, but Asami was the first to squeal out "Trick-or-Treat!", her excitement for the event reaching its peak. From what Tye had told Jaime, she had never been to a Halloween party before, the holiday relatively new in Japan.

The door swung open to reveal Paco grinning toothily, cracking some of his green face paint, "Took you losers long enough! Your girlfriend's been waiting for the last twenty minutes, Jaime!"

"Don't remind me," Jaime replied as he passed Paco, his eyes darting towards the nearest disarray of laughter and flirting, "Is she in the house or outside?"

"Near the pool with another one of your friends," Paco pointed to Tye and Asami, "Dressed up like Grumpy."

Tye laughed, "Oh man, I can't believe he actually went through with it. Ed can get him to do anything!"

Dismissing himself from his friends and throwing a quick wave to Brenda in the kitchen, Jaime weaved through the crowd of his fellow high school peers and towards the open back door. A hint of jealousy sprawled across his forearms, but he did his best to suppress the feeling. Roy wasn't a threat to his relationship with Cassie. At least not anymore...

"Hey, _amigo_!" a surprisingly strong hand latched onto Jaime's shoulder, a younger Latino boy dressed up as Dopey throwing himself in Jaime's eyesight, "About time you show up! Do you know how many guys have hit on Cassie since she got here?"

"Ed, now is really not the time," Jaime sighed, "Do you know where she is?"

"Sure do," Eduardo winked, looping his arm into the crook of Jaime's elbow, "I'll take you there myself."

"Oh, I don't think -" but Jaime was cut off by the sensation of lightspeed teleportation, his butt slamming into hard planks of wood a moment later. He quickly caught on to the fact that they were hidden away in Paco's old treehouse, laced with cobwebs and lit by a small lantern hanging from the ceiling.

"Jaime! You're here!"

He swerved his head just in time to have a lean body pressed up against his, a trilling giggle vibrating against his neck, "And you look so awesome as Peter Pan! I knew Asami wouldn't let me down."

"Nice to - wait," Jaime pulled away from his girlfriend, taking in her mischievous smile, "_You're_ the one who put that idea in their heads?"

"You should know by now, Jaime," a curt voice said from the other side of the room. Roy's arms and legs were both crossed, doing his best to look as menacing as possible in his bright red costume, "Miss Wonder Girl is hardly what I would call innocent."

"Especially in that outfit," Eduardo mumbled, just loud enough for Cassie to shoot him a scowl.

_Oh yeah, she's in a...Wonder Woman...costume_, heat rose to Jaime's cheeks, his pulse beginning to quicken and throb against his skin. He'd never thought of it too much before, but Cassie's mentor's attire wasn't all that conservative.

"Says the two little boys dressed up like dwarves," Cassie replied as she stood up, tossing her blonde hair back, "How cute."

"Hey, I lost a bet!" Roy exclaimed, "If I had my way, I wouldn't even be here."

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Eduardo rushed over to his friend and patted him on the back, "But, that's how bets go. Besides, the party just started. Let's go make you some new friends!"

"I don't want any -" And like Jaime before, Roy was cut off by a golden light, leaving both Jaime and Cassie to their own devices.

"You don't think it's too much, do you?" Cassie asked a few seconds later, her eyes roaming over her silver bracelets and red boots, "I mean, it's just like Diana's!"

"It's - It's fine," Jaime scratched at the back of his neck, quickly looking over his girlfriend. Yep, just like Wonder Woman's, with the same low cut bodice and star-spangled spandex bottoms, "Can we - can we join everyone else? The candy might be gone if we don't leave soon."

"I'm dressed up like Wonder Woman and you're worried about candy?" Cassie crooked an eyebrow in mock offense, but soon stifled a laugh as she walked towards the exit out, "Jeez, Jaime. I guess you are Peter Pan after all."

His cheeks were a visible shade by then and Jaime cleared his throat, "I just...I know you like Twix and they're really popular around here, so..."

Cassie laughed and jumped out of the treehouse, "I lied! My favorite candy is you, Jaime! Duh!"

"Huh?..._Oh_," realization dawned on the boy and before she could run any further, Jaime zipped out of the treehouse, hoping he too could get a taste of his favorite treat tonight.


	18. Lounge

Goddamn it was hot.

Just...god_damn_.

Cassie was down to a red bikini top and dark blue boy shorts, contemplating whether it would be worth the trip to mooch off the air conditioning at the Cave. Sure, she wasn't actually a part of the team anymore, but Damian could be lenient when it came to a pretty smile and pleading blue eyes.

There was the off chance that Stephanie or Kara might be visiting too, however, and if she had to stomach another shouldn't-you-and-Jaime-be-married-by-now conversations, the sticky heat was much preferred.

Sinking further into the couch and dragging out a sigh, Cassie pushed her fingers in front of her face and weighed her options. Tye and Asami were probably home, but they had the twins to look after. While she was more than welcomed most of the time, her presence now would be more of a distraction than a pleasantry with tykes that could break buildings and create tornadoes. Barbara was on a mission in South America with Donna and Garfield, meaning both their homes were locked and secure. Would pretty much be suicide if she tried breaking in. She had serious doubts Roy's apartment even had air conditioning, and Tim...well, Tim was off-limits. Even if he did own a pool the size of Madison Square Garden.

"El Paso, DC...ugh, I just want to be cool!" Cassie exclaimed to the ceiling, her fingers ripping into the thick fabric of the couch. Great, now she had to stitch up her furniture on top of everything else.

"Yo, _bonita_! You in there?"

Cassie whipped around at the sound of Jaime's voice, watching as the door swung open to reveal her boyfriend in full armor, "Finally! I thought Booster would keep you there all day."

"Nope; his date with Fire pushed me to the bottom of his priorities," Jaime grinned, floating over to his sweaty girlfriend. The armor retracted from his face and his lips graced her with a chaste kiss on the cheek, "Great outfit, by the way."

"Oh please," Cassie rolled her eyes; she wasn't about to blush after the night they'd had, "It's over a hundred degrees and our AC is broken. What do you expect me to wear?"

Jaime chuckled, drinking in her form for a few more seconds. Then without warning, he swooped his girlfriend into his arms and led her towards the doorway.

"Hey!" her eyes bulged, unprepared for the blistering heat outside, "Jaime, what the hell?"

"Karen and Mal are having a pool party," he replied as he shot back into the sky, the wind offering brief relief to Cassie's sweltering skin, "And we're invited."

"But these are boy shorts!" Cassie panicked, though the mere mention of a pool party soaked her body with tingling joy, "I can't swim in these."

"You and Karen are the same size," Jaime kissed her forehead and offered up a charming wink, "I'm sure you'll figure something out, _amor_."

"God, you know me well," Cassie said, wrapping her arms around Jaime's neck despite the fact she could fly herself. It was nice to be coddled for a change, especially in this weather, "Sweet Aphrodite, I love you."

"And sweet Jesus, I love you right back," Jaime replied, kicking his jetpack into overdrive.


End file.
